Carburizing apparatus



Oct. 29, 1929. R. KAIER 1,733,490

CARBURIZING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 3, 1927 5 Sheets-Shet 1 5% attoznug Oct. 29, 1929.

KAIER CARBURI Z I N'G AP PARATUS Filed Oct. 5, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 29, 1929. R. KAlER CARBURI Z ING APPARATUS 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct.-

Oct. 29 1929. R. KAIER 1,733,490

CARBURIZING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 5, 1927 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct-29, 1929. R. KAIER 1,733,490

CARBURIZING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 5, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Wi/tmeam Patented Oct. 29, 1929 UNITED H RICHARD KAIER, or CBANFORD, NEW annsnxli ssronon To THE SI GER immerse;

TUBING comrmvzjor ELIZABETH,. NEW JERSEY, A conrona'rrolv on NEW JERSEY onnnunrznvc APPARATUS Application filed October- 3, 1927. Serial No. 223,544.

This invention relates to carburizing ape paratus for case-hardening steel parts. It has heretofore been thepractice to pack the steel partsor work-pieces with the carburiz-i ing compound or powder in cold work-boxes, a batch of which were placed in a furnace and heated to and held; at a certaintemperature for a requisite time, at the expiration of which the work-boxes were removed fronrthe furnace and dumpedand allowed to coolbefore being re-packed. This practice necessitated the attention -vof several operatives, forexample, one to pack the cold work-boxes, and others to attend to the removalofthe work from the furnace, one operative removing a box, another removingthe box cover, while the firstdumps the boxcontents into'a sieve manipulated by athird operative who shakes the sieve, i allowing the spent compound 1 .t0

pass through, and dumps the work remaining on the sieve into an'oil bath. In addition to: the labor of several operatives,this practice necessitates the provision of several (batch:

furnaces which occupy considerable floor space. Furthermore,considerable heat is lost due to the necessity of allowing'the work box, theoperative places the latter in an inboxes to cool beforere-packing them. i

The present invention has for an object to provide an improved carburizingapparatus whereby a material saving may be efi'ectedin labor, floor space and fuel. "Furtherobjects of the invention will appear fromthefollowing description and claims.

by a single operative who isenabledto produce an output equal to that heretofore produced by several operatives with an caddi will notfallfrom the box while in thefurnace a discharge station adjacent'the receiving station. The work-boxes, which are made ofa heatresisting alloy, such as nickel-chromium, with'removable'covers, are periodically pros .pelled within the furnace by meansqof re- The present apparatus and method "of op erating it were'designed for the convenient handling of the'work in all its various stages ciprocating 'pushers aetuated automatically by suitable motor-driven cam-mechanism. a,

. During the intervals between periodical I operations ofithe pusher system, the opera-v tive devoteshis attention to the packing of a thin-walled open-topped dummy 'box with work-pieces and carburizing compound. The dummy boxi'sof a size to nest within a workbox an-d,fwhen packed, is slipped onto the horizontal'supporting arm of a special workbox loadingifixture. i -s 1 f The operative,"using,a detachable handle, now seizes and removes a hot work-box from the discharge end of the furnace andallows it to rest momentarily 'on a platform just outside the furnace door while the box cover is removed and'held by a special cover-lifting fixture. The operative now dumps'tthe box contents onto a vvibrating inclined screen which allows the spent carburizing compound to fall through into, a suitable receptacle whilethe work piecesslide ofi of the lower end of the screen into an oil'bath from which they are raised by an inclined belt-conveyor andidepositedin awork-receptacle. I,

' Immediatelyafter dumping the hot workverted position 1 over the dummy box, inverts both boxes while in nested relatiomandilifts the dummy box from the work box,leaving the packedwork-pieces and carburizing compound in the work-box which is returned to 7 operation to settle the box contents and dism lodge'any looseicarburizingpowder from bea the .cover-lifting'fixture' for restoration of tween the box and cover, so that such powder;

and accumulate therein, eventually clogging the combustion chamben After'the jarring operatiomthebox, while still red hot, is re turned to the furnacegthe box having been out ofthe furnace buta comparatively short time and having lost but little heat during the" rapidly accomplished dumping and re-,'

taken at right anglesto the section shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 isa side elevation, partly in section, ofthe apparatus for receiying the work dumped from the work-boxes. Fig. 7 is a perspective View of oneof Itheworlr-f boxes and the detachable handle by means of which it is manipulated while out of the furnace. Fig.8 is a perspective view of the dummy box used in loading the hot work-box.

Fig. 9 is a side-elevation of the work box loading fixture. Fig. 10-is a left end elevation of the upper end of the fixture shown in Fig. 9 beforethepacked dummy box is placed thereon. Fig. 11 isa similar view with the dummy box in place. 7 Fig. '12 shows "the empty hot work box placed in invert-ed posi tion over the dummy box Fig, 13 shows, in

full lines, both boxes after'inversion of same and in dotted lines, the inverteddumlmy box lifted from the work-box. Fig. '14 is 'a sectional view on the line 14-1 l, Fig. 1, and Fig. 1 51s an elevation of the transverse;- pusher operatlng mechan sm VIGWGCl from the left, Fig. 14, r b y The furnace, shown at A, Fig.1, of the horizontal, gas-heated type having parallel lon itudinally extendingchambers 1', 2 within which are runways 3, tfor the wo-rkrbo'nes 5, there being a cross-over 6 at the left-hand end of the furnace along which 'thework boxes aretransferred from one runway'to the other. The work-boxes are introduced into the furnacethrough the door-way? at the receiving station at which is a platform 8. Within the fur'nacethe work-boxes are propelled; along "the runways the three reciprocating pusher-s 9, 10,11 whichiare operated in sequence by suitable motor-driven cam-mechanism including the (am wheels 9 i 11 carried respectively, by theshafts' 9*,11 which are driven by worin and. gear connections 9, 11with a cross shaft 9 having on it a pulley 9 connectedby the belt- Qto a pulley 9' on the countereshaft 9 carrying a second pulley, 9 driven by the belt-(Bounce tion 9 from the motortl The'ca1n wheel 9 has secured ito its'cylindrical "wall the'caminclines 9 which reciprocate the" follower 9 carried by the pusher 9. The cam-wheel 11 has secured to its cylindrical wall-siinilafcam inclines 11 which reciprocate the follower 11 carried by the pusherlL'j The piisher has a rack on itsunder side engaged by a'pin ion 1O on the shaft lO which'is geared to the vertical shaft 10ge'aredfin turn to the shaft 1O hawing'secured'toit the pinion 10 mesh doorway 12.

thesup'porzting bar 39.

ing with the rack-bar 10. The bar 10 is actuated by the face-cam 10 on the cam-wheel 11'.

At the end of the return runway 2 is the discharge station at which is a doorway 12 through which the work-boxes are removed after traversing the circuit through the furnace' A second platform 13, similar to the platform 8, is supported in front of the. The doorway. Y is. c'losedflby a vertically "sliding door 1 1- actuated by the lever 15 connected by the link 16 to the pedallever 17. The doorway 12 is closed by a vertically sliding door 18 actuated by the lever 19 connected by the link 20 to the pedal lever 21. c 1

1 The work-boxes 5 :are made of a suitable heat-resisting material, such as nichrome alloy, and are formed'withlateral grooves 22 for reception of the tines 23 0f the detachable fork-like handle 24: by which the boxes 5 are manipulated while out of the furnace. Each box .5 includes a loose fitting cover 25.

Close-to the. doorway. 12 through which the hot work-boxes are removed from the furnace is the inclined screen or sieve 26 onto which the contents .of the work-box is dumped :as soon as it is; removed from the furnace. The screen26 is shaken or vibrated by means of a suitable. pneumatic hammer 27 to separate the spent carburizing compound from thewo rk-pieces; the compound,

falling through the sieve 26 into the receptacle 28" and the'wo rk-pieces sliding into the hopper 29v of the oil-filled quenching tank 30. Atthe bottom of the hopper 29 is the inclined motor-driven belt-conveyor 31which carries the work-pieces out of the tank and delivers them to'the work-receptacle 32. The screen 26 is vibrated'periodically at the proper time in the cycle of operations through the action o'f a Ben amin air valve 27 con-' trolled-by the cam 27 of the furnace cammechanism:

Mounted on the tank soadj acent the screen 26 the work box loading fixture comprisinga'fplatform33 andbearings 34k for a verti cal slide-rod 35, the upper end of which eX-' tends above the level ofthe platform, and has fixed thereto the bearing 36 for'the rotatable horizontal spindle '37 having on one, end a head 38*from which extends a horizontal supporting bar 39 for the dummyzbox 4,0." Secured .to'the lower :end of the slide; rod is a CIbSS-Pifill which passes-through the slot 42 in thespedal' lever- 43 fulcrumedht l l'onth'e floor bracket 45. I

' :The'dummy 130x40, Fig. 8, is made of thin sheet-metal of a size to nest within a work-- box 15am has securedexternally to its bottom I slidably embrace wall the 'guides" 46 which Disposed ad acent 'thedoading firltu re plat-f form 33 is the packing bench47 including the hopper 48 which supplies the, powdered pressure of the foot upon the pedal-lever 21,

inserts the forked end of the handle inthe lateral grooves in the work-box and removes the work-box from the furnace, resting it upon the platform 13 below the cover lifting fixture. This fixture comprises a supporting frame '49 secured to the furnace and carrying a fulcrum 50 for an operating lever 51. The operating lever 51 passes through the bifurcated upper end of a vertically sliding sleeve 52 journaled in the frame 49. The lever 51 is formed with a slot 53 extending longitudinally of the latter and the sleeve 52 is formed with a vertical slot 54. A crosspin 55 is passed through the slots 53, 54 and held in place by the washers 56 and pins 57. Secured to the lower end of the sleeve 52 is a horizontal bar 58 to the ends of which are fulcrumed the work-box cover-gripping levers 59. The up er ends of the levers 59 are connected by tie toggle-links 60 to the center block 61 fixed to the lower end of the rod 62 extending upwardly within the sleeve 52 and pressing at its upper end against the cross-pin 55; the rod 62 bein pressed upwardly by the spring 63 which engages the collar 64 fixed to the rod 62 Within the sleeve 52. A trigger device in the form of a springpressed wedge 65 is mounted on top of the lever 51 in position'for the wedge to enter between the lever 51 and the cross-bar 66 fixed to the sleeve 52 and hold the lever 51,

pin 55, rod 62 andhead 61 depressed, thus holding the gripper-levers in open position, as shown in Fig. 2. The 0 rative grasps and depresses the handle 51' of the lever 51, thereby moving the sleeve 52 and' gripper-levers 59 downwardly intoposition forthe lower ends of the levers 59 to engage under the work-box cover; the levers 59 being still open. The operative next pulls the hooked rear end of the trigger device thus withdrawing the wedge 65 and permitting the spring 63 to shift the rod 62 and head 61 upwardly; the head61 straightening the toggle-links 60 and closing the gripper-levers into coverseizing position. Release ofthe handle 51 permits the lever 5l, gripper-levers 59 and box-cover to rise under the influence of the spring 66, Fig. 2, which pulls downwardly on one end of a lever 67 fulcrumed at 68 on the frame 49; theforward end of the lever 51 engaging under the lever 67, as shown iIiwFig: .4. :It 1will-1be-understood thatPby meansof this'fixture the operative may,'with I i one-hand,.remove th'e cover from the hot work-box.while the handle 24. of thelworkbox is held lin thefother hand. The boxcover-mayibe restoredto the work-box at the proper. time by depressing the lever 51 until the-collar 69 fast on thesleeve 52, strik ing the frame49, arreststhe downward movement of the sleeve 52. Further downward movement of the lever 51 depresses the crosspin ,55 in the slot 54'and-shoves1therod 62 i and head .61 downwardly, thus opening the gripper-levers. 59 and releasin'gfthe cover. The wedge 65 moves under the influence of its spring to the I position 1 shown in Fig. 4 andholds the gripper leve'rs open :for the next covenlifting operation. j

Afterthe cover of the .work-boxhas'been I removed and while it is held'by'the gripperlevers 59, the operative, using the work-box handle 24, .dumps the contents of the, workbox onto thevibratingscreen26 and then lowers the empty. work-box in inverted position overthe dummy box .40 on thesupporting bar Fig. 12. The operativethenaxially rotates the. handle 24 1809 to f simultaneously rotate, the work-box and dummy box, :whilein-nested relation, about. thev axis of Y thespindle 37 to the. pedal lever 43 elevates therod 35 and bar. 39, thus withdrawingnthe dummy box from '95 the position shown [in Fig. 13. [Pressure upon 6 the WOIk-jboxi5,fas shownin dotted, lines 1 in Fig. 13, the packed contentsiof the dummy box j resting undisturbed in the work-box.

The operative now returns the packed hot work-box to the platform 13 for restoration of the box-cover and then rests the work-box and cover on the platform .8 where it is subjected momentarily to a jarring operation by a pneumatic hammer 70 carried by the lever 71 fulcrumed at 72. Depression ofthe handle 71 lowers the hammer 70 into'working engagement with the cover of the work-box and 7 draws down the bar 73 whose laterally bent upper end engages and opens the air valve 7 i 74 to start the operation of the hammer. This jarring operation settles the box contents and dislodges any loose powder from between the box-cover and body, thus preventing the powder from falling into and eventually clogging the furnace combustion chamber. The work-box is then returnedto the furnace through the doorway 7.

veption, what I claim herein is 1. In a carburizing apparatus, means for p repacking hot work-boxes comprising, a dummy box, a dummy box carrier, a support in which said carrier is revolvably mounted rier and platform.

' Having thus set forth the nature of the in-' p 96 39 of .theebox-loadingj fixture as. shown in 5 name to this specification; RICHARD KAI-ER. j.

2.1m acase-halrdeningapparatus, a work box loading fixture comprising, a, frame having a platform, a vertical slide-rod mounted onsa'id frame and extending above the level of said platform, a pedal connected to lift said s1ide-rod,- a horizontal bearingcarried at the upper end of said slide-rod, a dummy box carrier journale'd insaid bearing, and a dummy box detachably supported by said carrier. 7 I

3. In a case-hardening ap aratus, means for repacking hot work-boxes with Work pieces and freshcarbmizing compoiind'com prising, a thin-Walled dummy-box in which the workpieces and ca rbul-izing-e'ompound are initially packed, a support, 2 dtimrny box carrier mounted said support to revolve on an axis, and a slidable eonnection'between said dummy box and its c z'ir'rier';

4. In a case-'hafdenifig a p 'iafafius, means for repacking hot work-boxes with Workpieces and freshcair'burizing compound comprising, a thin-walled dummy box in which the work ieces and carbu iizir'rg compound are initially packed a dummy box carrier', a support in'whichs aidca'r'fier is revolva bly mounted'to effect inversion of the dumm box and n" work-box which ha's been reviously inverted andlowered over the demmy box, a work-box supporting pIatform below said carrier, and means for relativelygeps'r'afing said carrier and platform to withdraw the dummy boX from the work-box;

In testimony Whereo'f, I have-signed 'r'ny 

